36. Design Like a Pro: Elevate Your Brand Using DIY Strategies with Joanna Sherrow

Crank & Boom Podcast with Toa Green

Get ready to take your DIY design skills to the next level! As an entrepreneur, it’s possible to gain understanding of the basic principles of design without a lot of time investment, even if you’re all thumbs when it comes to design. Equipping yourself with these rudimentary skills gives you the edge to make your brand stand out consistently.

In this episode of the Crank & Boom Podcast, you'll meet Joanna Sherrow, the founder and creative director of Savvy Chic Design, an Asian women-owned design and marketing studio. Joanna and Toa Green dive into the pain points that small business owners often face when it comes to design and branding. They discuss the importance of creating a consistent visual brand identity that aligns with the mission and values of your business. Joanna shares valuable insights on DIY design tips, as well as when it might be time to seek out a professional designer. Whether you're just starting out or looking to enhance your existing visual branding, this episode is packed with practical advice and inspiration.

From this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover the importance of consistent visual branding and how it can boost your business recognition.

• Get practical DIY design tips and considerations that will help you create professional-looking marketing materials.

• Learn the key factors to consider when finding the right professional designer for your small business.

• Uncover communication strategies to ensure successful design projects and avoid costly misunderstandings.

The key moments in this episode are:

00:02:08 - Joanna Sherrow's journey in design

00:06:25 - Transitioning from a part time freelancer to a design studio

00:08:57 - Pain points in design for small businesses

00:10:41 - The importance of understanding the purpose behind a logo

00:15:22 - DIY Branding and Hiring Designers to Help You

00:20:22 - Design Principles and Collaboration

00:23:08 - Effective Communication with your Designer

00:28:17 - Learn Joanna's Unique Pricing System

* * *

Thank you to our sponsors!

Goldbelly | Find the most famous, most regional iconic foods from around the country–including Crank & Boom Ice Cream–and ship it all right to your door at goldbelly.com/

Holly Hill Restaurants | 9 unique locations in Kentucky that celebrate the connection of family, to farm to table. Find stories, recipes, how-to's, and curated gifts by visiting hollyhillandco.com

Resources Mentioned in Episode

• Check out the Adobe Creative Cloud and what it can do for you: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html

• Sign up for Canva: https://www.canva.com/free/

• Fiverr — Find freelancers and virtual assistants all over the world to help you run your business

• Upwork — Connect with talent that gets you, and hire them to take your business to the next level.

• Crank & Boom episode about branding for your small business.

Quotable Moments From the Episode

“Once you have the both short term and long term vision for your business, incorporating that strategic process into your visual suite needs to be prioritized.” - Joanna Sherrow

“When you are creating visuals, it's the consistency that matters most. Because when you are consistent with what you put out there, people start to recognize it. Even if you are DIYing it, you just need to create consistency.” - Joanna Sherrow

“I always say this about design — It's a transfer of vision. It’s a transfer of your idea of your business to the actual creation of your logo or your brand.” - Joanna Sherrow

Connect with Joanna Sherrow! SavvyChic Design's website

SavvyChic Design's Facebook

SavvyChic Design's Instagram

Connect with Toa! C&B Podcast website

C&B Ice Cream website

C&B Podcast's Instagram

C&B Substack

*Production by Four Eyes Media*